ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — the amount
  6. last — to go on
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cue — a signal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lean — thin
  12. net — in sport
  13. content — happy
  14. net — for catching
  15. last — final
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — finally
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. net — after costs
  22. cue — for pool
  23. tube — a container
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com